Get rid of half your stuff.

Remove extra furniture to an offsite location—so rooms feel clean and airy. Many stagers use the “50% rule” when removing items in a home.

Kill the clutter.

Buyers hate messy papers, stacks of magazines, dirty laundry scattered around and overcrowded countertops. Hide it, or take it offsite. Too many family pictures can also be a distraction (see the next tip).

Hide all personal items.

This includes toothbrushes, clothes, awards, family pics, the kids’ drawings, unique arts and crafts and notes on the fridge. Make the space look as neutral as possible—almost like a hotel room.

Get your home “maximum clean.”

Pay for a professional cleaning crew to do a one-time deep clean, or plan a day to tackle it yourself. Scrub the windows, floors, walls, counters, tables, sinks, toilets and tubs.

Make a good first impression.

Go for neutral colors.

Now is not the time to make a fashion statement! If you have interior bedrooms painted in bright colors (think: green, purple, pink, red, or blue), now is the time to repaint. White is always a safe bet.

Try new curtains, towels or bedspreads.

Adding inexpensive new window and shower curtains and towels in neutral colors (or a single bright color) can really make a clean bathroom or bedroom pop.

Ask your realtor for ideas.

Your ReeceNichols realtor can share tested ideas that have already worked well for selling the other homes in your neighborhood.